Apple Problems
by Bralt
Summary: Halt tells Will not to feed Tug many apples. Does Tug agree? Pleas review.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters.**

**Credit for the idea of this story goes to Animevampfreak10 **

Apple Problems

Halt came to join Will in the horse shelter behind the cabin before he made supper. Will was talking to Tug as he brushed him. Halt went over to Abelard and gave him some hay while he went to get another brush. Will leaned down to the apple bucket and tried to grab one without Halt noticing. He failed miserably.

"And how many apples has dear Tug already had?" Halt turned to face his apprentice who stood up and tried to look innocent.

"None. This was his first." Will shifted his weight from foot to foot. He was terrible at lying to Halt.

"Then why do you look like I just caught you doing something you shouldn't do?" Halt raised his eyebrows in that all too familiar look.

"Because you did." Will looked at his feet and spoke in a small voice. Halt could barely hear him.

"I'm sorry, I must be getting old. I didn't quite hear that," Halt said sarcastically. Will wisely made no comment about his age.

"I said that you did catch me." Will kept his eyes down but his voice was audible.

"If I've told you this once, I've told you this a million times. Tug only needs one apple. If he eats too many, he'll get fat and slow. Rangers have no use for fat and slow horses." Halt turned back to Abelard and started to brush him.

"Umm, Halt?" Will sounded worried. Halt kept brushing.

"Yes Will?" Halt said exasperatedly.

"You might want to turn around." Will's voice had a warning in it so Halt turned. What he saw stopped him from moving.

Tug was approaching him with an out of place glint in his eye. Halt took a stumbling step backward away from Tug. Abelard looked at his owner then at the small shaggy horse that was approaching him. Seeing that nothing was happening yet, he went back to eating. Halt took another step back and felt the wall of the shelter. He was cornered by a none too happy horse. Will was in the background watching.

"Calm down Tug. I was just thinking about your health." Halt's voice was calm even though he was starting to panic. Tug took a step towards him and he started to inch out of the shelter. This could go bad fast. "Tug, you wouldn't want to hurt me over apples would you?" Tug bobbed his head as if answering. This made Halt panic.

Tug took another step towards Halt and he again shuffled away. Tug lunged at him and Halt barely escaped. He jumped out of the shelter and tried to make it to the cabin. Tug was behind him and rapidly gaining. Halt abandoned his race to the door and started running around like a chicken with no head. He spotted an escape and ran for it. He was up the tree in a matter of seconds.

Tug slammed into the tree a few times and Halt almost fell out. He was hanging on for dear life when a laughing Will came into his vision. He scowled at him as the tree stopped shaking and Tug went to greet his master.

"Your cursed horse is a maniac!" Halt shouted down. "And stop feeding him apples!" He added as Will gave Tug one. Tug snapped his head sideways and glared up at Halt. Halt tried to blend into the tree branches.

"Careful Halt, if Tug tries hard enough, I'm sure he could knock this tree down and you with it." Will was grinning from ear to ear and Halt just glared down at him.

"Get that horse away from here so I can climb down." Halt cast a careful glance at Tug to make sure he hadn't angered him somehow.

Will just laughed. "I don't think he'll budge. Looks like you'll have to spend the night up there." Will was laughing and paid no mind to Halt's angry death stares. If looks could kill, dear Will would be dead.

"Just try." Halt looked at Tug again. He didn't need to have him knock him out of the tree.

"Come on Tug." Will started to walk away but Tug stood still. Will shrugged and looked up at Halt with amusement etched on every line of his face. "See you in the morning." Will walked away, leaving Tug to look up at Halt.

"Will!" Halt shouted.

He heard the cabin door shut and sighed. This was going to be a long night. He looked around and grabbed an apple from a nearby branch. He looked down as he took a bite and saw Tug looking at him angrily. He threw the apple down to him.

"I can't even have a simple apple for supper." He scowled and got comfortable. "Just wait. I'll get you back." Halt said to the horse and then shook his head. He was talking to a horse, what next?

**Remeber to review and I'll review your stories**


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